Liberia Military Spending
Military expenditure as % of GDP MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS
Liberia's military spending was 1.29% in 2025, ranked 93rd globally. This represents a 81.3% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1965–2025.
Overview
Liberia's military spending stood at 1.29% in 2025, a rise of +0.58% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.29% by 2025. Liberia ranked 93rd globally.
Liberia’s military expenditure has remained modest over the past five decades, averaging just above 1 % of gross domestic product. The latest World Bank figure for 2025 records spending at 1.29 % of GDP, placing the country 93rd globally. This level is comparable to Eswatini’s 1.27 % and slightly below the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 1.31 %, reflecting a regional pattern of limited defence budgets. The most pronounced surge occurred in 1994, when spending peaked at 29.73 % of GDP amid the country’s civil war, while the post‑conflict low of 0.21 % in 2007 marked the all‑time trough. Since that nadir, Liberia’s defence outlay has gradually risen, stabilising around the early‑2020s and reaching the current 1.29 % mark. Continued political stability, professionalisation of the armed forces and external security assistance could curb any upward pressure, suggesting that the upward trajectory is likely to remain subdued in the near term.
Data & projection
| Year | Military Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 1.52% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 1.40% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.29% | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.29% | +0.58% | #93 |
| 2024 | 0.71% | −0.71% | #20 |
| 2023 | 1.42% | +0.11% | #63 |
| 2022 | 1.31% | +0.47% | #59 |
| 2021 | 0.85% | +0.42% | #27 |
| 2020 | 0.42% | +0.01% | #7 |
| 2019 | 0.42% | +0.01% | #8 |
| 2018 | 0.41% | +0.00% | #8 |
| 2017 | 0.40% | −0.05% | #8 |
| 2016 | 0.45% | −0.03% | #10 |
| 2015 | 0.48% | +0.01% | #13 |
| 2014 | 0.47% | −0.03% | #8 |
| 2013 | 0.50% | −0.07% | #15 |
| 2012 | 0.57% | +0.03% | #14 |
| 2011 | 0.54% | +0.08% | #13 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Liberia matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Liberia's military spending was 1.29% in 2025. Ranked 93rd globally. This represents a 81.3% increase from the previous year.
Liberia's military spending peaked at 29.73% in 1994.
The lowest military spending in Liberia was 0.21% in 2007.
Liberia ranks 93rd globally in military spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Liberia's military spending is projected to reach 1.29% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The military spending of Liberia in 2025 was 1.29%. This ranks 93rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_liberia_military-spending,
title = {Liberia Military Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/liberia/military-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}